31-minnikin-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



delighted　that　she　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing；　and　skipped

and　danced。



‘Come　and　sleep　a　bit　with　your　head　in　my　lap；'　she　said　to

Minnikin；　and　as　he　slept　she　put　a　golden　dress　on　him。



But　when　Ritter　Red　saw　that　there　was　no　longer　any　danger

afoot；　he　lost　no　time　in　creeping　down　from　the　tree。　He　then

threatened　the　Princess；　until　at　length　she　was　forced　to　promise

to　say　that　it　was　he　who　had　rescued　her；　for　he　told　her　that　if

she　did　not　he　would　kill　her。　Then　he　took　the　Troll's　lungs　and

tongue　and　put　them　in　his　pocket…handkerchief；　and　led　the

Princess　back　to　the　King's　palace；　and　whatsoever　had　been

lacking　to　him　in　the　way　of　honour　before　was　lacking　no　longer；

for　the　King　did　not　know　how　to　exalt　him　enough；　and　always

set　him　on　his　own　right　hand　at　table。



As　for　Minnikin；　first　he　went　out　on　the　Troll's　ship　and　took

a　great　quantity　of　gold　and　silver　hoops　away　with　him；　and　then

he　trotted　back　to　the　King's　palace。



When　the　kitchen…maid　caught　sight　of　all　this　gold　and　silver

she　was　quite　amazed；　and　said：　‘My　dear　friend　Minnikin；　where

have　you　got　all　that　from？'　for　she　was　half　afraid　that　he　had

not　come　by　it　honestly。



‘Oh；'　answered　Minnikin；　‘I　have　been　home　a　while；　and　these

hoops　had　fallen　off　some　of　our　buckets；　so　I　brought　them　away

with　me　for　you。'



So　when　the　kitchen…maid　heard　that　they　were　for　her；　she

asked　no　more　questions　about　the　matter。　She　thanked　Minnikin；

and　everything　was　right　again　at　once。



Next　Thursday　evening　all　went　just　the　same；　and　everyone

was　full　of　grief　and　affliction；　but　Ritter　Red　said　that　he　had　been

able　to　deliver　the　King's　daughter　from　one　Troll；　so　that　he　could

very　easily　deliver　her　from　another；　and　he　led　her　down　to　the

sea…shore。　But　he　did　not　do　much　harm　to　this　Troll　either；　for

when　the　time　came　when　the　Troll　might　be　expected；　he　said　as

he　had　said　before：　‘It　is　better　that　one　should　die　than　two；'　and

then　climbed　up　into　the　tree　again。



Minnikin　once　more　begged　the　cook's　leave　to　go　down　to　the

sea…shore　for　a　short　time。



‘Oh；　what　can　you　do　there？'　said　the　cook。



‘My　dear；　do　let　me　go！'　said　Minnikin；　‘I　should　so　like　to　go

down　there　and　amuse　myself　a　little　with　the　other　children。'



So　this　time　also　she　said　that　he　should　have　leave　to　go；　but

he　must　first　promise　that　he　would　be　back　by　the　time　the　joint

was　turned　and　that　he　would　bring　a　great　armful　of　wood　with

him。



No　sooner　had　Minnikin　got　down　to　the　strand　than　the　Troll

came　rushing　along　with　a　great　whistling　and　whirring；　and　he

was　twice　as　big　as　the　first　Troll；　and　he　had　ten　heads。



‘Fire！'　shrieked　the　Troll。



‘Fire　yourself！'　said　Minnikin。



‘Can　you　fight？'　roared　the　Troll。



‘If　not；　I　can　learn；'　said　Minnikin。



So　the　Troll　struck　at　him　with　his　iron　clubwhich　was　still

bigger　than　that　which　the　first　Troll　had　hadso　that　the　earth

flew　ten　yards　up　in　the　air。



‘Fie！'　said　Minnikin。　‘That　was　not　much　of　a　blow。　Now

you　shall　see　one　of　my　blows。'



Then　he　grasped　his　sword　and　struck　at　the　Troll；　so　that　all　his

ten　heads　danced　away　over　the　sands。



And　again　the　King's　daughter　said　to　him；　‘Sleep　a　while　on　my

lap；'　and　while　Minnikin　lay　there　she　drew　some　silver　raiment

over　him。



As　soon　as　Ritter　Red　saw　that　there　was　no　longer　any　danger

afoot；　he　crept　down　from　the　tree　and　threatened　the　Princess；

until　at　last　she　was　again　forced　to　promise　to　say　that　it　was　he

who　had　rescued　her；　after　which　he　took　the　tongue　and　the　lungs

of　the　Troll　and　put　them　in　his　pocket…handkerchief；　and　then

he　conducted　the　Princess　back　to　the　palace。　There　was　joy

and　gladness　in　the　palace；　as　may　be　imagined；　and　the　King

did　not　know　how　to　show　enough　honour　and　respect　to　Ritter　Red。



Minnikin；　however；　took　home　with　him　an　armful　of　gold　and

silver　hoops　from　the　Troll's　ship。　When　he　came　back　to　the

King's　palace　the　kitchen…maid　clapped　her　hands　and　wondered

where　he　could　have　got　all　that　gold　and　silver；　but　Minnikin

answered　that　he　had　been　home　for　a　short　time；　and　that　it　was

only　the　hoops　which　had　fallen　off　some　pails；　and　that　he　had

brought　them　away　for　the　kitchen…maid。



When　the　third　Thursday　evening　came；　everything　happened

exactly　as　it　had　happened　on　the　two　former　occasions。　Everything

in　the　King's　palace　was　hung　with　black；　and　everyone　was

sorrowful　and　distressed；　but　Ritter　Red　said　that　he　did　not　think

that　they　had　much　reason　to　be　afraidhe　had　delivered　the

King's　daughter　from　two　Trolls；　so　he　could　easily　deliver　her

from　the　third　as　well。



He　led　her　down　to　the　strand；　but　when　the　time　drew　near　for

the　Troll　to　come；　he　climbed　up　into　the　tree　again　and　hid　himself。



The　Princess　wept　and　entreated　him　to　stay；　but　all　to　no

purpose。　He　stuck　to　his　old　speech；　‘It　is　better　that　one　life　should

be　lost　than　two。'



This　evening　also；　Minnikin　begged　for　leave　to　go　down　to　the

sea…shore。



‘Oh；　what　can　you　do　there？'　answered　the　kitchen…maid。



However；　he　begged　until　at　last　he　got　leave　to　go；　but　he　was

forced　to　promise　that　he　would　be　back　again　in　the　kitchen　when

the　roast　had　to　be　turned。



Almost　immediately　after　he　had　got　down　to　the　sea…shore　the

Troll　came　with　a　great　whizzing　and　whirring；　and　he　was　much；

much　bigger　than　either　of　the　two　former　ones；　and　he　had　fifteen

heads。



‘Fire！'　roared　the　Troll。



‘Fire　yourself！'　said　Minnikin。



‘Can　you　fight？'　screamed　the　Troll。



‘If　not；　I　can　learn；'　said　Minnikin。



‘I　will　teach　you；'　yelled　the　Troll；　and　struck　at　him　with　his

iron　club　so　that　the　earth　flew　up　fifteen　yards　high　into　the　air。



‘Fie！'　said　Minnikin。　‘That　was　not　much　of　a　blow。　Now　I

will　let　you　see　one　of　my　blows。'



So　saying　he　grasped　his　sword；　and　cut　at　the　Troll　in　such　a

way　that　all　his　fifteen　heads　danced　away　over　the　sands。



Then　the　Princess　was　delivered；　and　she　thanked　Minnikin

and　blessed　him　for　saving　her。



‘Sleep　a　while　now　on　my　lap；'　said　she；　and　while　he　lay　there

she　put　a　garment　of　brass　upon　him。



‘But　now；　how　shall　we　have　it　made　known　that　it　was　you

who　saved　me？'　said　the　King's　daughter。



‘That　I　will　tell　you；'　answered　Minnikin。　‘When　Ritter　Red

has　taken　you　home　again；　and　given　out　that　it　was　he　who

rescued　you；　he　will；　as　you　know；　have　you　to　wife；　and　half　the

kingdom。　But　when　they　ask　you　on　your　wedding…day　whom

you　will　have　to　be　your　cup…bearer；　you　must　say；　‘‘I　will　have　the

ragged　boy　who　is　in　the　kitchen；　and　carries　wood　and　water　for

the　kitchen…maid；''　and　when　I　am　filling　your　cups　for　you；　I　will

spill　a　drop　upon　his　plate　but　none　upon　yours；　and　then　he　will

be　angry　and　strike　me；　and　this　will　take　place　thrice。　But　the

third　time　you　must　say；　‘‘Shame　on　you　thus　to　smite　the　beloved

of　mine　heart。　It　is　he　who　delivered　me　from　the　Troll；　and　he　is

the　one　whom　I　will　have。''　'



Then　Minnikin　ran　back　to　the　King's　palace　as　he　had　done

before；　but　first　he　went　on　board　the　Troll's　ship　and　took　a　great

quantity　of　gold　and　silver　and　other　precious　things；　and　out　of

these　he　once　more　gave　to　the　kitchen…maid　a　whole　armful　of　gold

and　silver　hoops。



No　sooner　did　Ritter　Red　see　that　all　danger　was　over　than　he

crept　down　from　the　tree；　and　threatened　the　King's　daughter　till

he　made　her　promise　to　say　that　he　had　rescued　her。　Then　he

conducted　her　back　to　the　King's　palace；　and　if　honour　enough　had

not　been　done　him　before　it　was　certainly　done　now；　for　the　King

had　no　other　thought　than　how　to　make　much　of　the　man　who　had

saved　his　daughter　from　the　three　Trolls；　and　it　was　settled　then

that　Ritter　Red　should　marry　her；　and　receive　half　the　kingdom。



On　the　wedding…day；　however；　the　Princess　begged　that　she　might

have　the　little　boy　who　was　in　the　kitchen；　and　carried　wood　and

water　for　the　kitchen…maid；　to　fill　the　wine…cups　at　the　wedding　feast。



‘Oh；　what　can　you　want　with　that　dirty；　ragged　boy；　in　here？'

said　Ritter　Red；　but　the　Princess　said　that　she　insisted　on　having

him　as　cup…bearer　and　would　have　no　one　else；　and　at　last　she　got

leave；　and　then　everything　was　done　as　had　been　agreed　on　between

the　Princess　and　Minnikin。　He　spilt　a　drop　on　Ritter　Red's　plate

but　none　upon　hers；　and　each　time　that　he　did　it　Ritter　Red　fell

into　a　rage　and　struck　him。　At　the　first　blow　all　the　ragged

garments　which　he　had　worn　in　the　kitchen　fell　from　off　Minnikin；

at　the　second　blow　the　brass　garments　fell　off；　and　at　the　third

the　silver　raiment；　and　there　he　stood　in　the　golden　raiment；　which

was　so　bright　and　splendid　that　light　flashed　from　it。



Then　the　King's　daughter　said：　‘Shame　on　you　thus　to　smite

the　beloved　of　my　heart。　It　is　he　who　delivered　me　from　the　Troll；

and　he　is　the　one　whom　I　will　have。'



Ritter　Red　swore　that　he　was　the　man　who　had　saved　her；　but

the　King　said：　‘He　who　delivered　my　daughter　must　have　some

token　in　proof　of　it。'



So　Ritter　Red　ran　off　at　once　for　his　handkerchief　with　the　lungs

and　tongue；　and　Minnikin　went　and　brought　all　the　gold　and　silver

and　precious　things　which　he　had　taken　out　of　the　Trolls'　ships；

and　they　each　of　them　laid　these　tokens　before　the　King。



‘He　who　has　such　precious　things　in　gold　and　silver　and

diamonds；'　said　the　King；　‘must　be　the　one　who　killed　the　Troll；

for　such　things　are　not　to　be　had　anywhere　else。'　So　Ritter　Red

was　thrown　into　the　snake…pit；　and　Minnikin　was　to　have　the

Princess；　and　half　the　kingdom。



One　day　the　King　went　out　walking　with　Minnikin；　and

Minnikin　asked　him　if　he　had　never　had　any　other　children。



‘Yes；'　said　the　King；　‘I　had　another　daughter；　but　the　Troll

carried　her　away　because　there　was　no　one　who　could　deliv